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Kevin Hines

Suicide survivor Kevin Hines: 'Don't silence the pain. You can get past it, one day at a time'

Kevin Hines was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1998. Now, he travels the world sharing his inspirational story.

KEVIN HINES HAS battled bipolar disorder and depression for the past 17 years. At the age of 19, he was in the depths of despair and couldn’t imagine ever living a happy life, but now he spends his days travelling the world as a motivational speaker, sharing his story in a bid to make a difference.

Hines, from San Francisco, USA, spent the early years of his childhood in an unstable household. Both his parents suffered from drug addiction and often left him and his brother unattended in motel rooms for hours on end.

“We would be neglected lying in our own filth, screaming and crying not to be neglected,” Hines told TheJournal.ie. 

One day, a clerk at one of the motel’s Hines was left at heard his screams and called the police. Hines and his sibling were taken into child protective custody and sent into the foster care system. His brother soon died from a case of bronchitis but Hines himself “got lucky” and was taken into the loving Hines family home.

“I grew up in a good childhood after my traumatic infancy, but one thing that never left me was my detachment and abandonment issues that I developed at a young age. I ended up being diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 17, that both my biological parents had before me,” Hines said.

The road to recovery

After battling with his disorder for two years, Hines told TheJournal.ie that it took him into “such a depressive low” at the age of 19 that he felt like he was a burden to everyone around him. He subsequently attempted to take his own life. His darkest moment came as he jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge but he survived.

For a number of years to follow, Hines spent seven stints in hospital working on his mental wellbeing.

During one stay, Hines said that he came to the sudden realisation that he had to change something in his life and begin to take his recovery process more seriously. He decided to try to foster his mental anguish into positive energy – to tell his story and help others like himself.

“I started working towards my mental health, exercising every day and eating healthy. I worked tirelessly for my brain health and wellbeing, I started to have great success,” Hines said.

He soon pinpointed one essential must-do for those suffering from mental health issues – to speak out and ask for help.

“I became so self-aware of my illness that when the symptoms came on I would be honest and tell someone who loves me, I could always be safe,” Hines said.

Hines now travels across the USA and around the world to share his story of recovery, in a bid that it will have a positive impact on someone in need.

Next Thursday, Hines is travelling to Ireland to speak to over 7,000 people at this year’s Cycle Against Suicide’s Student Leaders’ Congress in the 3Arena.

Cycle Against Suicide is an initiative started five years ago to raise awareness of the help and support for anyone battling depression, self-harm, or at risk of suicide. Once a year, hundreds of people cycle a route that passes through 17 counties and 67 towns in Ireland as part of the initiative.

“I’m going to work with Cycle Against Suicide which is, for me, a huge combination of a 17-year effort to help people find a way to change their lives and find hope and recovery,” Hines said.

I’m happy and I’m happily married but I still struggle with extreme paranoia, hallucinations and serious depression. I’m just able to accept my symptoms now when they occur, talk about them to people when they occur, I have a group support system.

Offering words of support and solidarity with those who suffer from mental health issues, Hines said: ”When you don’t silence the pain and you actually talk about what you’re going through to the people who do care and empathise, you can get past it one day at a time.”

He said that it is vital for everyone, whether they have mental health problems or not, to educate themselves so they can support and understand the pain of those struggling.

With the suicide crisis in Ireland, and of course around the world, it is pertinent that every community that deals with this struggle finds a way to be kind and compassionate to those suffering mentally and understanding of the thoughts that you want to take your life.

“If you can understand it if you can learn about it and if you can empathise about it, that is when you can best help your community and the people suffering today,” Hines said.

“You can make a difference when you’re willing to open your eyes and say I got your back. That’s the message I’m going to bring to Cycle Against Suicide.”

If you need to talk, please contact:

  • Samaritans 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
  • Aware 1800 80 48 48 (depression, anxiety)
  • Pieta House 1800 247 247 or email mary@pieta.ie (suicide, self-harm)
  • Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19)
  • Childline 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s) 

Read: Michael Healy Rae on suicide in his constituency: ‘It didn’t register. I didn’t get it.’

More: Panic attacks: ‘The walls seemed to close in and I didn’t know what was happening’

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11 Comments
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    Mute alphanautica
    Favourite alphanautica
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    May 8th 2017, 7:45 AM

    Le Pen may have lost, but % support is increasing dramatically. Just like Sinn Fein, it is only a matter of time.

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    Mute Barry Somers
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    May 8th 2017, 7:51 AM

    @alphanautica: of course the partys are not alike, le pens party is full of racists, shes tried to change its image but the mask keeps slipping.

    51
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    Mute Nick Allen
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    May 8th 2017, 7:55 AM

    @alphanautica:

    Its cyclical and they will lose support over time, look at UKIP in the local elections, completely destroyed

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    Mute alphanautica
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    May 8th 2017, 7:56 AM

    @Barry Somers: both parties do their best to distance themselves from their extreme xenophobic genesis, so they’re not that different. Thankfully the ‘Brits Out’ etc days are over.

    13
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    Mute Willy Malone
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    May 8th 2017, 8:36 AM

    @alphanautica: Our elite congratulations all round , for a man who sees Ireland as a problem . Our corporate tax a major issue for his elitist Europe . Anything to keep elitist Europe in motion. Winds if change growing stronger as you say, only a matter of time ☺

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    Mute TehJurolan
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    May 8th 2017, 9:40 AM

    @Nick Allen: yes, but only after they had played a prominent part in achieving their goal of taking Britain out of the EU.

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    Mute Ryan Comiskey
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    May 8th 2017, 9:57 AM

    @alphanautica:
    Brexit 52-48: “Clear, decisive victory.”
    Trump 46-48: “The people have spoken.”
    Macron 66-34: “OMG France is so divided.”

    34
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    Mute GameOverMan
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    May 8th 2017, 10:13 AM

    @Willy Malone: of course its only a matter of time. And when they’re in, it’ll be a matter of time before they’re out again. The systems not supposed to resolve anything… it has only to be maintained for maximum profit.

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    Mute Diarmuid
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    May 8th 2017, 10:31 AM

    @alphanautica: There are enough decent grown-ups in France and Ireland to keep know-nothing extremists out forever.

    18
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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    May 8th 2017, 12:59 PM

    @alphanautica: Before making any claims of FN support on the rise you should wait and see the results of the French Parliamentary Elections next month. In 1985 they reached a high watermark of 35 MP’s in the current Parliment they have 2 MP’s. If they can match or better their 1985 total then you could say they are on the rise. If they can’t, well it’s just a case of going nowhere.

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    Mute Patricia Cooney
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    May 8th 2017, 4:54 PM

    @Barry Somers: if their is no work and la pen wants to close borders you are racist.what next.

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    Mute Joshua Walsh
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    May 8th 2017, 7:59 AM

    Great to see the French people reject the hate that Le Pen spout.

    94
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    Mute cortisola
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    May 8th 2017, 11:43 AM

    @Joshua Walsh: There will be less and less support for her every year with growing Muslim population in France. She may never win.

    12
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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    May 8th 2017, 1:02 PM

    @cortisola: She has to survive the Parliamentary elections. If the FN don’t do better than her Father did in 85 with 35 seats the party will turn on her.

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    Mute
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    May 8th 2017, 8:19 AM

    God help France now with this political lightweight and apologist for Islamic terror in power.

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    Mute Diarmuid
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    May 8th 2017, 11:35 AM

    From an apologist for “republican” terror….

    Hypocrisy much?

    16
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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    May 8th 2017, 1:08 PM

    And what makes him a political lightweight? Coming out of nowhere and winning the Presidency from experienced and seasoned Politicians puts him right up in the Heavy Weight division as champion. And if you think he is a lightweight because of his lack of political experience then what does that make Trump a Bantamweight?

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    Mute George Orwell
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    May 8th 2017, 7:50 AM

    His wife gave him a well deserved pat on the head

    73
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    Mute The Thinker
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    May 8th 2017, 9:55 AM

    Glad to see France isn’t as easily led as the US and UK. There’s some hope yet

    30
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    Mute Diarmuid
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    May 8th 2017, 10:33 AM

    Fabulous day for France and Europe.

    The fascist wave is dying across Europe, just like it did in 1945.

    28
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    Mute cortisola
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    May 8th 2017, 11:46 AM

    @Diarmuid: You’re are like these lunatics dancing end of islamic terror after US killed Binladen in 2011. You’ll never get it.

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    Mute Lisa Dorothy
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    May 8th 2017, 3:14 PM

    @cortisola: Get what? That we have to think of it like it is us versus them? Because where has that attitude got us so far?

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    Mute No one
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    May 8th 2017, 7:33 AM

    I guess the French must be misogynist ??

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    May 8th 2017, 7:50 AM

    @No one: no they’re just less racist.

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    Mute GameOverMan
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    May 8th 2017, 10:20 AM

    @Deborah Behan: …speaking of racists theres Geert doing his best impression of every defeated cartoon villain ever… well done Geert, well done.

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    Mute David Harries
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    May 8th 2017, 8:59 AM

    I wounder could trump find France on a map

    19
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    Mute Ó Connmhaigh
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    May 8th 2017, 11:42 AM

    @David Harries:
    First, he’d have to find a map

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    Mute Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh
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    May 8th 2017, 9:07 AM

    Donald trump may actually have prevented Le Pen grabbing power, People have discovered that voting is racist nutters actually offers no solutions either.

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    Mute Lisa Dorothy
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    May 8th 2017, 3:13 PM

    @Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh: And that is it in essence. Without an overhaul of the system nothing will significantly change no matter who you vote in. So people don’t fall for populist politicians like Trump – they will achieve as much or less than their establishment counterparts.

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    Mute Plus Prom
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    May 8th 2017, 10:32 AM

    I can’t believe all these so-called liberals celebrating the perpetuation of the patriarchy. I guess France wasn’t ready for a female leader. Sad. #ImWithHer

    17
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    Mute Ernest Grinkas
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    May 8th 2017, 11:24 AM

    @Plus Prom: Agree. Complete sexism. Very disappointed by french sexism..

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    Mute Aaron O'Leary
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    May 8th 2017, 1:21 PM

    @Plus Prom: So the US was sexist to elect Trump?

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    Mute Lisa Dorothy
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    May 8th 2017, 3:15 PM

    @Aaron O’Leary: That’s what I was wondering.

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    Mute cortisola
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    May 8th 2017, 11:47 AM

    Most of these congrats should be sent to Merkel really.

    13
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    Mute Yenreit
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    May 8th 2017, 12:16 PM

    @cortisola: Germany’s third invasion of France! Will they ever learn.

    11
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    Mute cortisola
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    May 8th 2017, 1:47 PM

    @Yenreit: Soon all they need to learn will be Arabic and Quaran.

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    Mute Ibhar Mac Suibhne
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    May 8th 2017, 2:57 PM

    @cortisola: Hype up the anti-islam propaganda there sure!

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    Mute Philip Gerard
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    May 8th 2017, 4:37 PM

    @cortisola: Betterh than sending congrats to Putin, fascist tw@.

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    Mute Tosin Williams
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    May 8th 2017, 8:46 PM

    @cortisola: what language is quaran?

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    Mute Toon Army
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    May 8th 2017, 7:46 AM

    Interesting to see how Macron balances his overall centre right ideology with some watered down policies on education and EU reform. Suspect it will be the latter that takes a back seat but wish him all the best.

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    Mute Nick Allen
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    May 8th 2017, 8:33 AM

    @Toon Army:

    But more importantly, will Rafa be in charge come Aug. Well done yesterday

    8
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    Mute Gerry Fallon
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    May 8th 2017, 9:54 AM

    Theresa may congratulated him through gritted teeth.

    8
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    Mute Paul Coughlan
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    May 8th 2017, 9:01 AM

    We now have a 39 year old French President married to a 63 year old woman. Merkel would need to watch out. We should replace Enda with an Edna and we would be sure of a listening ear in France. ❤️❤️

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    Mute Larry Molloy
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    May 9th 2017, 11:48 AM

    The deep state are really nice people once you get to know them.

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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
    Favourite Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    May 8th 2017, 8:03 PM

    We will have five years of macronomics!!!!

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